Need help preparing to run a marathon? Looking to make new friends while you train? Then look no further than the Sports Backers Marathon Training Team, designed to motivate and train individuals for the Allianz Partners Richmond Marathon. You’ll find yourself not just equipped with a detailed 23-week program, but a great crew of experienced coaches and inspirational teammates as well. One of our favorite perks? A dedicated SAG team that supports the weekend group training session. That’s right… water stops and Nuun right there for you while you TRAIN. So let Richmond’s running community carry you to 26.2… when you hit that final stretch at the Allianz Partners Richmond Marathon, you’ll be glad you didn’t go it alone!
MTT has an all new walking team! If a power-stroll is more your vibe sign up and come train for 26.2 with others looking to see the sights while speed walking. This crew is still hustling though! In order to meet the Allianz Partners Richmond Marathon 7-hour course time limit we’ll be pushing participants to maintain a 16 min per mile pace while training. The has it’s own schedule and dedicated walking coaches. Come walk it out with us!
November 19 – May 17: $175
May 18 – July 5: $185
Many of my running partners and close friendships have been developed as a result of MTT! It motivates me on weekends throughout the summer to stick to my plan which has resulted in me achieving many of my goals.
– Brittany Easter
The teams, coaches, and information we received were all amazing and exactly what I was hoping when I signed up. This was my first year and I knew nobody going in, but came away with a bunch of new running friends and a lot more knowledge about marathon training/running.
– Chris Strauss
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Print out mail-in entry form
Through MTT, my circle of friends has grown significantly. I now have a group of friends that I regularly hang out with and run with during the off season as much I do during the training season.
– Erin Folkenroth
Please note: Training Team entry fees are non-refundable and entries are non-transferable, no exceptions. Once we receive your entry, you will not receive a refund if you cannot participate.
Already signed up for the marathon and want to participate in the training team? No problem! Just click here on switching-races and follow the prompts. The system should only charge you the difference between the marathon and the training team, please contact us if it charges you the full amount. If you originally paid by check, you can send a check made out to Sports Backers for the difference in price between the training team fee and your marathon entry fee you’ve paid for the event. Just indicate if you’d like to train on Saturday or Sunday, with the early (6:30 a.m.) or late (7 a.m.) group, and whether you’d consider yourself a 500 miler (novice) or 700 miler (intermediate). Also include your most recent 10k time.
At Sports Backers, our mission is to inspire people from all corners of our community to live actively. Engaging underserved populations is one of our core values and one way we act on this value is by offering Income Based Rates for all of our training teams. These special rates are offered to those who qualify and would otherwise not be able to participate.
Those who make $25,000 or less annually or receive proven TANF, Food Stamp or Energy Assistance Benefits from Social Services and are not currently claimed as a dependent by anyone making above $25,000 annually are eligible for a special $40 rate for the Marathon Training Team. Please provide one of the following documents for verification:
For those that qualify for the income-based entry fee, please come by our office or mail the completed mail-in entry form and your verification document to Sports Backers, 100 Avenue of Champions, Richmond, VA 23230
For more information, please email [email protected].
Already registered? You can confirm your entry here.
If you can’t find the information you are looking for below, please email the head coach.
Sports Backers Training Team: COVID-19 Impacts and Procedures
As we navigate our ever-changing world, our mission to inspire you to live an active lifestyle remains. Now, more than ever, the Sports Backers team wants to keep you moving, but only in a way that keeps our participants, coaches, volunteers, staff, and communities safe and healthy. Our team has been working hard to revise our training plans to meet the current social distancing requirements so that we can get back to celebrating your active lifestyles through Sports Backers Training Teams in the safest way possible.
With individual’s safety and transmission mitigation in mind, we have new training modifications and procedures that will allow us to safely operate Sports Backers Training Team. These policies and procedures are in accordance with CDC guidelines and based on current recommendations for COVID-19 safety protocols and are subject to change at any time. The following does take into account vaccination status. You are considered fully vaccinated 2 weeks after your second dose following a 2-dose vaccine or 2 weeks following a single-dose vaccine.
What Sports Backers Training Team Coaches/Staff will be doing:
Sports Backers Training Team Covid-19 Safety & Procedures:
Our policies and procedures will continue to be updated as appropriate, all to ensure that we keep participants, volunteers, staff, and communities safe and healthy. These procedures are subject to change at any time and we appreciate your flexibility.
Click Here to view the Sports Backers Training Team COVID 19 Impacts and Procedures and Sports Backers COVID Exposure Protocols and Policies.
Carrie Parker
Carrie helps lead the Team, bringing with her eleven years of experience with the MTT and five years coaching the YMCA 10k Training Team. She actively supports and trains with many athletes within our local community. Carrie is certified as an RRCA Adult Distance Running Coach. She’s deeply grounded with the desire to see everyone get active and happy, regardless of the speed or the distances…so let’s get moving!
There is a 7-hour time limit to complete the Allianz Partners Richmond Marathon, so that requires maintaining an average pace of about 16 minutes per mile for the entire 26.2 miles. Based on the industry standard pace calculators, comparable times would be about 3 hours, 20 minutes for a half marathon or 1 hour, 30 minutes for a 10k. Each participant should be able to comfortably finish four miles several times per week prior to starting the Training Team on June 4/5. We will monitor the progress of all of our participants during the early part of our training to make sure you have the fitness to complete the marathon in the required time. You must be at least 16 years of age to participate. If you are under the age of 18, you must have a parent/guardian registered for the training team and present for all group training sessions.
There will be clinics held on everything from injury prevention to nutrition to shoes. Clinic details will be posted in the early summer.